Pakistan-born cricketer Muhammad Abbas has been awarded his first New Zealand central contract for the 2025–26 season, following a breakout performance earlier this year.
The 21-year-old Wellington allrounder rose to prominence after scoring a blistering 52 off 26 balls on his ODI debut against Pakistan in March, marking the fastest fifty by a debutant in men’s ODIs. He also impressed with the ball, dismissing Mohammad Rizwan as his first international wicket.
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Abbas is joined by Mitch Hay, Zak Foulkes, and Adi Ashok as new entrants to New Zealand’s 20-player centrally contracted list. Hay, a Canterbury wicketkeeper-batter, caught attention with an unbeaten 99 in an ODI against Pakistan and a world-record six dismissals in a T20I on debut in Sri Lanka.
The selection was led by High Performance Chief Bryan Stronach and included input from coach Gary Stead and other key NZC staff. It was based on statistical analysis of performances across all formats, as well as future potential.
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NZC Chief Executive Scott Weenink described the new additions as proof of the strong talent pipeline, saying their hunger and ability signal a promising future for New Zealand cricket.
NZ Central Contracts 2025–26
| Player | Origin | Role | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muhammad Abbas | Pakistan-born | Allrounder | Fastest fifty on ODI debut |
| Mitch Hay | Canterbury, NZ | Keeper-Batsman | Unbeaten 99 vs Pakistan, 6 T20I dismissals |
| Zak Foulkes | New Zealand | Allrounder | Emerging domestic talent |
| Adi Ashok | New Zealand | Spinner | Consistent T20 performances |